Robin Usher September 30, 2009
THE Melbourne Theatre Company has been accused of operating as a boys' club because of the lack of opportunities for women in creative roles, especially directing.A convener with the Australian women directors' alliance, Melanie Beddie, wrote to the company in August complaining of ''an overwhelming downturn'' in opportunities for Victorian women theatre directors in recent years.
She said this was in defiance of the equal opportunity policy of the company's parent organisation, Melbourne University.
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In response to Derek Young - I didn't think that Melanie Beddie was asking him to provide solutions for gender equality across "the whole theatrical industry". The question as I see it is what can Derek Young offer by way of solutions to address the gender equality issues that exist at the Melbourne Theatre Company. Furthermore- no one is asking "one level" of the industry to compensate for the "shortcomings of another" - in fact no one actually said there were short comings in any other sector. Also ... that there have not been any changes to policy, process or outcomes since 2003 is part of the question- not part of the answer. If there is only one or two opportunities for external directors to work with the MTC each year, then I think it is time to ensure that women directors are represented internally in what Simon Phillips calls the "salaried staff". Finally if Simon Phillips can only offer the occasional external jobs to an "established women directors" then is it too much to ask that the MELBOURNE theatre company looks to an established Victorian women director from time to time?
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